68 Song Birds. 



well acquainted, at least by sight and hearing, before 

 they actually share the same cage ; letting them loose 

 together, above all when they are not hungry, and 

 consequently cross. 



Many persons would have as many, perhaps, as 

 eighteen hen birds to half a dozen cocks ; but I have 

 said already that, for my own part, out of the poultry 

 yard, I have no faith in such Turks. The numerous 

 wives very often rob one another's nests ; or else 

 they fight, instead of sitting quietly. An absurd 

 little Canary hen of mine, for instance, invariably 

 flies off her nest in the most reckless manner, and 

 goes dashing off after her most particular enemy, if 

 she even so much as sees her passing ; and of course 

 these sudden antics are. very dangerous both for eggs 

 and young. 



3. One very great consideration to those who keep 

 birds for pleasure, is assuredly the happiness of the 

 tribe ; and who would like to lose that prettiest of 

 sights when the forwardest nestling arrives first at 

 the perch, and sits between its parents fluttering its 

 little wings and being fed by them alternately, in 

 the midst of busy and delighted twittering. Of 

 course when one bird is father of about four young 

 families, there is not much chance of his being much 

 at home with any of them ; and the mother has no 

 business to be always off' her nest, as she must 

 really be, to supply a strong brood all by herself, 



